Genesis 18:1
1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Why was Abraham sitting in the tent door?
|
Genesis 18:2
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
If three men stood by him, why did he run to meet them?
Do you think it was a normal occurance to run to meet strangers?
|
Genesis 18:3
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Does Abraham know these people?
|
Genesis 18:4
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
How do we treat the strangers that come into our presense?
|
Genesis 18:5
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
Why does he say he is their servant?
|
Genesis 18:6
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
Why does Abraham give such specific directions to Sarah? Is this something that she has never done before?
|
Genesis 18:7
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
What is "dressing a calf"?
How long do you think it took to dress the calf?
|
Genesis 18:8
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Who stood by them? Were the three men the only ones eating?
|
Genesis 18:9
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
Why did they want to know where Sarah was? Why didn't they call her out?
|
Genesis 18:10
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
What is the "time of life"?
|
Genesis 18:11
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
|
Genesis 18:12
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Do you think this was a normal response?
Can you hear your grandmother laughing if this news was for her?
|
Genesis 18:13
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Why did the LORD ask Abraham why Sarah laughed? Why not ask Sarah?
What happened when Abraham laughed in Genesis 17:17?
Do you think Abraham shared with Sarah what he had heard in 17:17?
|
Genesis 18:14
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Do we ever doubt the LORD's promises?
Was it more important to have a son rather than a daughter?
|
Genesis 18:15
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Why is Sarah's laughing being made so much of?
|
Genesis 18:16
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
What time do you think it is?
|
Genesis 18:17
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
How many things do you think the LORD does that He hides from us?
What caused the LORD to share this thing with Abraham?
|
Genesis 18:18
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
If we do not become a great and mighty nation, does that mean the LORD will not share what He will be doing with us?
What does it mean that "all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him"?
How can we, today, be a blessing to all the nations?
|
Genesis 18:19
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
What is it that the LORD hath spoken of Abraham?
|
Genesis 18:20
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
What is "the cry" of Sodom and Gomorah?
|
Genesis 18:21
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Does God have to go down to see what is going on?
|
Genesis 18:22
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Why was Abraham standing?
|
Genesis 18:23
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Is Abraham shocked when he asks this question?
|
Genesis 18:24
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
Why do you think Abraham starts at fifty?
|
Genesis 18:25
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Abraham says, "that be far from thee" twice. What might be his impression of whom God is?
|
Genesis 18:26
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Do you think the LORD had an actual number of righteous people He would have spared the city for?
|
Genesis 18:27
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Abraham speaks of himself as dust and ashes; do you think he is still standing?
|
Genesis 18:28
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
|
Genesis 18:29
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
|
Genesis 18:30
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
|
Genesis 18:31
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
|
Genesis 18:32
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
Why did it take so long for Abraham to get to ten? Why did he start at fifty and not ten?
Does this mean that the LORD would destroy the city if He found less than ten?
|
Genesis 18:33
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
If Abraham asked for the city to be spared for the sake of even one righteous, do you think the LORD would have kept listening?
Why do you think Abraham stopped at ten and didn't ask for one?
|